Growing Up Is Hard To Do
by Michelle3
Summary: Now that Chrissy is going through her
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, someone else does. I'm just having fun. Also, this story is based loosely on characters and situations in The Growing Pains Movie...but I only saw the movie once and I don't remember the names of some of the minor characters and some of the other specifics, so I made them up. And now.....  
  
A GROWING PAINS STORY  
  
"Growing Up Is Hard To Do"  
Chapter One  
  
  
  
"This is great. This is so great. I'm so glad I thought of this, aren't you Maggie?"  
I just sat there, and tried not to roll my eyes as I ate my toast. My dad could be so lame sometimes.  
"Yes, Jason," my mom said in her typically patronizing way. I think sometimes she felt bad for my dad, seeing as he was the only one who didn't have a reason to leave the house on a regular basis. It was because he was a writer...he spent all of his time sitting in the den in front of his laptop writing mystery novels. It was a good paying gig, but it was lonely work, and sometimes he would cling a little too closely to my mom and Ben and I. For his newest act of desperation, my dad decided that since Mom was usually away at night attending city functions, and Ben worked nights, we needed one meal a day to spend together since no one was around for dinner. Thus, "mandatory breakfast". The rule was, everyone had to be up early enough to be able to sit down as a family and eat breakfast together before taking off to their respective schools and places of employment, or in dad's case, the den. My only complaint...why didn't Mike and Carol ever have to go through this kind of torture?  
"Where's Ben? I have a surprise and I want him to be here for it."  
I just sat, slumped rather, in my chair. My dad's surprises were always stupid. Let's see...there was the time he was so bored he made me drive into the city with him to show my sister Carol the straight A's on my report card. Then there was the time he bought a pinball machine for the living room. Ben loved it, but I thought my mom was going to throw him out of the house. Needless to say, I wasn't breathlessly awaiting his impending surprise.  
"BEN!!!!"  
Ben came trudging around the corner and into the kitchen, bleary eyed, with a backpack slung over his shoulder. I felt bad for Ben. After a series of dead end jobs and brushes with the law, he decided to get his life together. He went back to college, this time majoring in communications, and started working nights as a video store clerk. Having to get up a half hour early just to eat breakfast with his family wasn't helping his sleeping schedule. Ben sat down at the table and we flashed each other sympathetic looks.  
"Okay," my dad took a folded envelope out of his pocket with an exaggerated flourish. "This came the other day but I wanted to save it for when we were all together." He paused for dramatic effect. "It's a letter from Luke."  
"Oh, Jason, let me see!" Much to my dad's dismay, mom grabbed the envelope out of his grasp and tore it open. Sometimes I think mom forgot that Luke wasn't one of her own flesh and blood children. Ignoring the wounded look on dad's face, mom began to read the letter out loud:  
"Dear Everyone,  
Sorry I haven't had time to write recently, but I've been very busy. Thanks for the invitation to Carol's wedding last year. I really wished I could've gone, but my aunt was very ill and I couldn't leave her. I would've written to tell you but I didn't want you to worry about me during such a happy time in your lives."  
Mom stopped reading long enough to press her hand against her chest. "Ohhhhhhhhhh....."  
My dad was getting impatient. "Keep reading, Maggie."  
Mom cleared her throat and continued...  
"Please give Carol my best. As for me, things have been going great. This weekend I graduate from U Florida at Gainesville with a degree in History. That savings bond you gave me for college when I was fifteen really helped, and between that, help from my aunt and money I put aside working, I was able to make my dream come true, and for that I am eternally grateful."  
Mom paused, ready to coo again, but dad cleared his throat. She looked down quickly and continued to read.  
"As a graduation present, my aunt is giving me a roundtrip plane ticket to wherever I want to go. I've given it much thought, and after considering places such as California, Hawaii and London, I've decided that where I really want to go is Long Island."  
Ben interrupted. "Why would he want to go to Long Island, he's already been here?"  
I looked at Ben. "You really have no clue, do you?"  
Ben gave me a dirty look. "Bite me."  
"Ben! Chrissy! Can I finish?"  
We were both silent.  
"If you'll have me, I'd love to come see you all after I graduaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeeee................"  
Mom jumped up from the table. "Luke's coming to visit!"  
Dad, still brooding because Mon stole his thunder, rubbed his ear. "That's wonderful, Maggie, but I think you just broke the sound barrier with that squeal..."  
"Oh, we have so much to do! Ben, we'll have to get a roll away bed to put in your room...I need to go to the grocery store..." Mom looked at her watch. "Oh! I have to go to work!"   
As mom ran out the door, Ben stood up as well. "This is going to be great! I can't believe Luke's coming home!"  
"He's not coming home, Ben, he doesn't even live here." I stood and gathered my books for school, trying to form a picture in my head of the Luke I remembered from when I was a child. The picture was fuzzy.  
"You probably don't remember, but he was like a brother to me! Yeah! This is so great!" He grabbed his stuff. "C'mon, Chris, I'll drop you off."  
I followed Ben out the door, still trying to remember. You're right Ben, I thought to myself. I don't.  
  
Being a student at Dewey High and being a Seaver at the same time is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. Let's see, where do I begin. My oldest brother, Mike, was Principal Dewitt's worst nightmare. I've heard rumors that at one time the old coot even had a restraining order against him. Then there was my sister Carol, little miss genius. The pride of the Seaver family. And Ben...well, let's just say he's had his share of problems. Just when Mr. Dewitt finally thought he'd run out of Seaver children to torture him, along came me. I've managed to keep him guessing though. It's fun. I have to admit, today was one of my better days.  
"Christine," Dewitt was sitting behind his desk, looking about as old as the antique itself. "Do you remember what I told you the last time you were caught smoking in the girls room?"  
"I believe your exact words were Not even Mike has ever sunk this low."  
Dewitt shuddered at the mention of my brother's name. "No, after that."  
"I can't seem to remember," I lied.  
"I told you the next time it happened, you'd be suspended."  
I looked at him expectantly.  
"You're suspended."  
"Ok, but what about the science fair tomorrow?"  
"What?"  
"You know, the big science fair...Dewey wins a first place ribbon and we get a grant from the state...the one I won last year with my radio-controlled robot fish? I entered again this year. My project is..." I waved my hand for emphasis, "a solar powered camera. My brother even used it to shoot a scene for the video he's working on in college."  
Mr. Dewitt shifted uncomfortably, and I wasn't sure if it was because of my reference to Ben or because he knew I had him cornered. "You didn't let me finish. You're suspended for one day. You'll be able to do the science fair tomorrow."  
"Okay," I cheerfully replied.  
"I'm going to have to call your parents to pick you up, and to discuss what happened..." He began to pick up the phone on his desk.  
"Oh, they're not home, they went to pick someone up at the airport. They won't be back until late."  
"Well, I have to call someone. Who else is there?" Dewitt held his finger over the keypad, poised to dial a number.  
"The only person available to pick me up is my brother...Mike." I tried not to smirk too noticeably.  
Dewitt hung up the phone, defeated. "Never mind. Go back to class."  
"Sure, Mr. Dewitt." I picked up my belongings and left the office. Once outside the door, I stopped abruptly and said to myself, "Oops, did I say Mike was the only one available to pick me up? My bad. I meant Kate."  
  
When I got home that afternoon, my parents were still gone. But I wasn't alone. The Caravan and the Lincoln in the driveway said it all. My brother, my sister, and their families were here. I braced myself and headed through the door.  
"Auntie Chrissy's home!!!!!"  
Walking into my living room was like walking into Armageddon, only louder. Mike and Stewart, Carol's husband, were in the living room trying to get a fire going in the fireplace. Stewart's son Jonathan was sitting quietly on the couch amidst a sea of commotion, but his face lit up when he saw me. He stood and tried to make his way over to me, but not before five other children bombarded me and almost knocked me to the floor. I hugged and kissed each one of them in turn. "Hi Charlotte, hi Caitlyn, hi Jeremy, hi Mia, hi Mark, hi Hannah." They all turned and headed outside though the kitchen to play on the playground equipment that my parents bought just for them, leaving Jonathan standing alone in front of me.  
"Hello Aunt Christine," he held out his hand and I took it.  
"You know, " I said as I led him over to the couch, "you can call me Chrissy. I've been your aunt for six months, I think you can relax a little, Johnny."  
"I know, I just forget." Johnny held onto my hand and remained quiet until Mike and Stewart went into the kitchen to find Kate and Carol. Then he snuggled nearer to me. "I'm worried, Christine."  
I turned and looked at him. Jonathan was about eight years old, but much like his stepmother years ago, he was mature beyond his age. I think it had something to do with his mother dying when he was very young. And although he was very close to his father, and even closer than anyone could ever have dreamed possible to Carol, he somehow singled me out as his favorite, his confidante. And so I was happy to oblige. I looked at him closely. "Why are you worried?"  
He looked down, ashamed. "The baby," he murmured.  
Aha. I had wondered when this was going to start. Much to her dismay, a month after her wedding Carol discovered she was pregnant. I found the situation pretty amusing, seeing as just months earlier Carol was a Wall Street lawyer with no intention of even so much as marrying...then suddenly she was married with one child and another on the way. However, surprising to all of us, Carol embraced the idea whole-heartedly. She decreased her caseload at work, and started spending much more time with mom and Kate, discussing things like drapes and diapers. Carol Seaver-Marquette had done a complete one-eighty.  
"What exactly about this baby worries you?" I pulled Johnny up onto my lap and cuddled him.  
"What if she keeps having them?"  
I was confused. "Huh?"  
"Like Uncle Michael and Aunt Kate. Look at all the kids they have. And they're all so loud! Don't get me wrong, I love my cousins, but it's so hard to think or concentrate when they're here, being so noisy."  
I was starting to understand, although I thought the situation was kind of funny. "Johnny, I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. I've known my sister a very long time, and I'm shocked enough that she's having a baby at all. The idea of Carol with five kids is just...it's not gonna happen."  
"Did you ever think, when you were little, that Uncle Mike would have five kids?"   
I always thought Mike would end up in jail...or possibly deported. "Um...no, not really. But Mike and Carol are very different people."  
Johnny rolled his eyes. "You're telling me."  
I smiled. "But people can surprise you, Johnny. And you know what? Even if your dad and Carol have TEN kids, they'll still love you every bit as much and you'll love your brothers and sisters, even if they are noisy. I promise."  
Just then, I heard Mike from the kitchen. "So, Carol, I see your gaining weight again...what's the matter, the Alpo diet not working for you?"  
Johnny looked up at me. "Do you love your brothers and sister?"  
I squeezed him. "Most of the time."  
  
Ben got home before my parents did, which surprised me. His boss at World O'Video let him off early due to Luke's pending arrival. Mike and Kate's kids were starting to get tired and cranky, so Kate brought them home after Ben promised Mike he'd give him a ride home later. Carol and Johnny fell asleep in the living room. Mike, Stewart, Ben and I were playing a rousing game of Yahtzee at the kitchen table when finally, around 8:30, the front door opened.  
"Kids! We're home!" Mom yelled out, before noticing her sleeping daughter and grandson on the couch. "Oops. Shhhhhh."  
Mike and Ben jumped out of their chairs, nearly knocking them over, and ran out to the living room. Stewart and I just looked at each other. Amid a chorus of "Luke!!!!!" and "Mike! Ben!" I shook the little cup and dumped out the dice. I began to write down my score.  
"Don't you want to go see Luke?" Stewart asked.  
"I don't really know him." I stopped and thought about it for a second. "I mean, I don't even really remember what he looks like. Well, except that he had blond hair."  
"How old were you the last time you saw him?"  
"Eight...Johnny's age, actually. It seems so long ago."  
"And you don't remember anything? Anything at all??"  
"Well...I remember drawing him a picture. It was for his birthday I think. I drew a house, and my mom, dad, Mike, Carol, Ben, me...and Luke."  
"You must've really liked him a lot to go to all that trouble."  
I thought about it for a second, before I realized that Stewart was right. He was always right. I smiled. "No wonder Carol likes you so much."  
Stewart stretched back in his chair. "Just doing my job." We stood up. "C'mon, lets go check this guy out."  
  
I stood in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, watching the scene unfold before me like a family reunion. The boys - Mike, Ben and Luke - were going crazy...hugging, laughing, trying to fit years worth of stories into single sentences. My parents were trying to quiet them down. "Boys! You're going to wake up Carol and Jonathan!"  
"Too late." Yawning, Carol rose from the couch, her slightly protruding stomach and motherly glow surprising Luke.  
"Carol!" He went over to her. "You're pregnant!" He grabbed her and hugged her, taking care not to press against her stomach.  
"I know!" Carol was laughing, obviously happy to see Luke.  
My parents, brothers, sister, and Luke continued their celebration until after a minute or two Luke looked around and asked, "Where's Chrissy?"  
Suddenly, they all looked around, Ben mumbling "She was just here a minute ago..."  
My dad saw me in the doorway and urged me into the living room. "Chrissy, come say hi to Luke."  
"Jason, she may not really remember him, it was a long time ago."   
Luke looked up, and our eyes met. Suddenly a rush of memories came back to me...I remember him now! I remember how he used to play tea party and Barbies with me without me even having to ask! I remember how he used to get after Ben when he teased me! And I remember how much I cried when he left to go live with his father.  
"Chrissy?" Luke seemed shocked to see me, but then, I looked a lot different than I did all those years ago. Luke seemed different too. Older, obviously, and his hair was shorter. "Is that really you?"  
Suddenly I felt really choked up. I ran across the living room and into Luke waiting arms.   
  



	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, someone else does. I'm just having fun. Also, this story is based loosely on characters and situations in The Growing Pains Movie...but I only saw the movie once and I don't remember the names of some of the minor characters and some of the other specifics, so I made them up. And now.....  
  
A GROWING PAINS STORY  
  
  
"Growing Up Is Hard To Do"  
Chapter Two  
  
  
The next morning we were sitting around the table for our "mandatory breakfast" again, but this time there was an air of excitement in the Seaver kitchen because of our guest. My brother Ben had spent the last 12 hours filling Luke in on the events of the past few years of his life. And this morning, he still wasn't finished. I sat slumped in my chair again, listening to Ben.  
  
"...So after the cops finally managed to corner me, and I realized what was going on...dude, they had been broadcasting the whole chase live on TV!"  
  
Mom interrupted him. "But what Ben didn't realize was that his police chase interrupted my live city council debate."  
  
Ben continued. "Mom almost dropped out of the campaign because of what happened, but she changed her mind and now she's a Long Island city councilor!"  
  
"Wow, Mrs. Seaver, that's awesome. That must be a pretty tough job, though, trying to keep all different kinds of people happy, not to mention running a whole city." Luke had been listening intently throughout the entire conversation, bright-eyed and looking genuinely happy to be here with my family. The night before we had all sat around the living room, letting Luke fill us in on what exactly had happened to him once he had left Long Island all those years ago. Apparently, he stayed with his dad for awhile, bouncing from city to city in his dad's big rig, looking for ways of making money, with nothing being too successful. And although he loved his dad, Luke realized that if he was ever going to make anything of himself, he needed roots and a real education. So his dad arranged for Luke to stay with his Aunt Winona in Florida. Luke finished high school, and went on to finish college. And now here he was.  
  
"Oh, it's not so hard, Luke, and I love helping people with their problems. Just a few weeks ago I managed to get the council to form a committee to look into allegations that the waste water plant has been allowing toxins to seep into the stream that runs though Chesepeke Park. One of the residents called me about that after her daughter had been playing in the stream and found a crawfish with three eyes." My mom looked extremely pleased with herself.  
  
My dad, Ben, Luke and I just sat there, looking at mom and at each other. Everyone pushed their plates away, not wanting to eat another bite. Ewww.  
  
I decided to change the subject. "My science fair is today. You guys are going, right?"  
  
Mom and dad's faces fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie, I can't. I have an important meeting with the mayor today. I can't reschedule." Mom stood and began to gather her things. "But good luck. I really wish I could be there." She kissed me on the forehead, and left.  
  
I looked at my father expectantly. "Dad?"  
  
"Sorry kiddo, I have a meeting with my publisher today. I'd cancel but I'm afraid there may be a problem with my manuscript that they need to see. I'll be home later on though."  
  
Ben snickered. "Looks like you got the shaft...OW!" My boot slammed into his leg, almost causing him to spill his orange juice.  
  
"Kids..." my dad absentmindedly began.  
  
"I'll go to the science fair, Chrissy." Luke said. "When is it?"  
  
Sort of caught by surprise, I smiled. "It's at two o'clock, in the gym."  
  
"Well, would it be ok if I drop you off at school, Ben, so I can use your car to get to the science fair?" Luke asked.  
  
Ben looked disappointed. "I thought we could hang out together on campus today...some of the girls in my Introduction to Film class are hot. I'd like to make a film starring them, if you know what I mean." He winked and nudged Luke.  
  
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Ben." My dad got up from the table and began to clear his dishes.  
  
Luke snickered. "We can do that tomorrow...it's not every day your sister is entered in a science fair." He smiled at me. I smiled back, but I felt strange. Did he mean "your sister" as in Ben's sister, or as in his own sister? I shrugged it off. It doesn't really matter...does it? In the corner of my mind, a thought occurred to me - I hoped that he didn't think of me as his sister. I shrugged that off too.  
  
"Well, alright," Ben handed Luke the keys to his little blue Accord. "Today Chris gets you but tomorrow you're all mine."  
  
Luke and I looked at Ben, mischievous grins on our faces.  
  
Ben stopped and gunned his index finger at us. "You know what I mean."  
  
  
  
  
  
The Dewey High cafeteria was abuzz with the idle chatter of eighty-something juniors. My table was no different. But as I sat and ate lunch with several of my nearest and dearest, I just couldn't keep my thoughts on the conversation going on around me. For some reason, I was really looking forward to the science fair, but it had nothing to do with scholastic excellence, and everything to do with Luke Brower. Oh, God, why am I doing this to myself? This guy was practically my brother...well, sort of. I guess. Not really. I mean, what am I supposed to do? This gorgeous guy shows up on my doorstep one day after being out of my life for nine years and I'm not allowed to be attracted to him?   
  
"No," I distinctly heard my mother's voice. "You're not."  
  
I shivered. I could see this entire situation was going to turn into one big suckfest.  
  
"So what's the deal with this Luke?"  
  
I jumped in my seat. "Huh?"  
  
My best friend Angelina Moore, was staring at me across a brown-paper-bag strewn lunch table. "Helloooooo? Earth to Chrissy...come in please. I want dirt. What's he like?"  
  
Angie certainly could be straight to the point when she wanted to be.   
  
"There is no dirt..." I began, feeling uneasy about the turn this conversation seemed to be taking. "...he's just a friend of the family who's staying with us, that's all."  
  
"Please," Angie rolled her eyes. "For the last two weeks you've been complaining about this total stranger waltzing back into your family after nine years and how you're pissed because your parents expect you to welcome him with open arms. The day finally comes...the mysterious Luke arrives...and you haven't said one lousy word about it. What's going on?" She stared at me, her jewel green eyes piercing through me. Ouch. I knew I may as well just give up right now.  
  
"Nothing, just...I don't know." I ran my hand through my short red hair. "He's...cute." I looked down and pretended to be messing with my bookbag. "It's no big deal..."  
  
"You know..." My other lunchmate, Becca, spoke up. "I think something's up. I've never seen you like this." She peered at me through her glasses, brushing a long brown curl away from her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, usually guys don't phase you in the slightest! Either you date 'em or you don't." Angie looked me up and down. "You're practically unglued, Seaver."  
  
Now, normally, I would spill anything to Angie and Becca. And if this had been some regular high school guy, I would've been dishing it readily. But there was something different about this. I mean, I didn't even know how I felt yet. I certainly wasn't ready to go around telling other people about it. Besides, I had a feeling they wouldn't understand.  
  
"It's no big deal...really." I stood and began to gather my belongings. "I gotta go. See you guys later." I ran out of the cafeteria, leaving my friends silent and open-mouthed. What is with me? Normally I'm as cool as they come. Angie was right. I AM coming unglued.  
  
  
  
  
Later that afternoon, I stood at my booth in the school gym, finishing up my display for the science fair. I have to say, I think this solar powered camera was my best idea yet. I thought of it last year when I was going through my "reporter" phase. At one point I was following my sister around with my video camera, and my battery died. We were at the park, and I could feel the hot sun beating down on my back. I remember thinking to myself...too bad I couldn't use the suns energy to power my camera instead of burning my shoulder. The rest is history. My parents think it's absolutely amazing...the ideas I come up with and stuff. It's so nice they could come and support me, I thought bitterly to myself. My brothers didn't really notice anything I did, and my sister was always criticizing me, telling me that I was so brilliant but if I kept acting "like Mike" I'd never get anywhere in life.   
  
"Hey! Chrissy!"  
  
I looked up from my project and saw Luke coming toward me. There were those damn butterflies again. I smiled, despite myself. I thought I felt my cheeks turn red, which was a first. He looked so cute...he was wearing jeans, a FloridaU t-shirt, and a leather jacket. I love leather jackets. I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat. Control yourself, Seaver.  
  
"Hey." Luke came up to my table and inspected the display. His eyes grew with disbelief. "Wait a second...you MADE this?" He picked up the camera and inspected it.  
  
"Sure...it wasn't that hard. The only hard part was actually finding a small enough motor to power the zoom control, but configuring the rest..." I quickly stopped myself before I started sounding TOO much like Carol. Luke looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish. "...um, didn't suck as much..." I trailed off, feeling like a flake.  
  
"This is so cool Chrissy." He put the camera down. "You're really smart. You must've gotten that from Carol." He looked at me and grinned.  
  
I couldn't help but scowl. "I'm not anything like Carol." I quickly turned away, pretending to look for something, realizing how stupid I'd just sounded.  
  
"Well, no, I didn't mean you're like her. You're just smart like her. You seem a lot more...I don't know. You're very...different. More of a people person. More...outgoing. Hip."   
  
Now I started to smile, because I knew he was pulling my leg.  
  
"In fact," he continued, "I would even say that you are one groovy chick. Like, far out. You're right up there with Marcia Brady. In fact, if there was a contest for being cool, you'd kick The Fonz's butt!" As Luke joked around, his blue eyes sparkled with mischief.   
  
"Are you done?" I asked with mock sarcasm.  
  
Luke stopped, and smiled. "You know, you haven't changed much since you were a kid. You're still fun to hang out with."  
  
I smiled back at him.   
  
"Do you remember the time we went to the park and you lost Mr. Blowhole?"  
  
"Yeah...I thought that was Ben who took me that day..." I trailed off, trying to remember.  
  
Luke's face fell. "No. That was me. You asked me to take you because Ben was teasing you about a picture you had drawn in school...it was a pink elephant wearing a bikini. You started to cry because Ben told you the elephant was supposed to be gray. So you asked me to take you to the park, and I did. I bought you ice cream and you told me that you had a dream about pink elephants at the beach. That's why you left Mr. Blowhole there...you put him down on the bench while you were eating the ice cream, and we forgot all about him."  
  
I just listened, surprised. "Wow...you have a good memory."  
  
"I remember everything that ever happened while I was living in your house Chrissy. It was the only time I truly felt like I had a family."  
  
I smiled, and a realization hit me. "I gave you that picture of the pink elephant, didn't I?"  
  
Luke pulled out his wallet and opened it. He took out a piece of while paper, unfolded it and handed it to me. Sure enough, it was the pink elephant, wearing a bikini, lying on the beach under an umbrella. At the bottom, scribbled in crayon, it said.  
TO LUKE: I LOVE YOU! YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND!  
LOVE, CHRISSY E. SEAVER  
  
Before I could react, Becca Walsh appeared out of nowhere, holding a yellow ribbon. "Look, Chris, I got second place!" My friend seemed truly pleased with herself.  
  
"Huh," I looked up, still a little disoriented. "We got judged already?" I turned and looked back at my booth. Hanging on my display was a red ribbon. "Oh! I won! I got first place!"  
  
"Congratulations, Chrissy!" Luke patted me on the shoulder, smiling.  
  
"Thanks!" I noticed Becca looking at Luke, then giving me the eye. "Oh! Luke this is my good friend Becca...Becca this is Luke."  
  
Becca smiled her typical polite, demure smile. "Nice to meet you." She turned and noticed people crowded around her display. "Ooh...gotta go!" She waved then ran off.  
  
"So..." I said, carefully folding the picture back up and handing it to Luke. "That's pretty cool that you kept that all these years."  
  
"Well...I have all the stuff you ever gave me. Drawings, assorted macaroni art work..." He laughed.  
  
I grabbed my camera. "I'm pretty much done here...want to go to the park?"  
  
"Sure...wait! Is that the one with the three-eyed crawfish?" Luke asked wearly.  
  
"We'll stay away from the stream." I laughed. "Besides, the ice cream man usually hangs out on the other side of the park. And I do believe I owe you an ice cream cone."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
  
It was approaching six o'clock as Luke and I finally decided to leave the park. We'd been walking around for almost three hours, reminiscing a little, but mostly just getting to know each other all over again. It was such a nice change to have someone be so interested in ME as opposed to my brothers and sister. Luke seemed genuinely fascinated by the things that I told him about myself, from my fear of caterpillars to my closeted love of country music. The funny thing was, he seemed to share a lot of my interests. When we got home, no one else was there, and we sat in the living room and continued our chat.  
  
"So, tell me more about your friends. This Angie seems like a nut!" Luke laughed.  
  
"Yeah, well, she is. She's like, I don't know. A train wreck. When I first met her, I thought she was one of the most obnoxious airheads I'd ever known. She was in my chemistry class at the time...she hung with this really snotty group of girls who were teasing Becca. I didn't know Becca either then, it was when we'd just moved back to Long Island. Anyway, they would harass her in the cafeteria, between classes...and it was pissing me off because she seemed like such a nice girl. So one day, these girls dared Angie to run up to Becca in the hall and knock something out of her hand, some sculpture she did in art. I overheard the whole thing, so I ran ahead to warn Becca. I was too late, I got to Becca just as Angie did, but I managed to grab her before she grabbed the sculpture."  
  
We were both sitting on the couch, facing each other, and Luke was really getting into the story. "Wow, Supergirl to the rescue, huh?" He laughed. "You're getting violent in your old age."  
  
I threw up my hand and playfully tapped Luke's shoulder. "I didn't hit her! I just asked her what her problem was, and told her that if she knew what was good for her she'd leave Becca alone."  
  
"Ok, I understand how you became friends with Becca, but how did you work your magic on Angie?"  
  
My magic? I felt an inevitable hotness rising in my cheeks, which I tried to suppress. "I didn't really have to do anything. I didn't set out to be her friend. I guess she started to realize that her friends were a bunch of losers, and decided to make some new ones. She targeted me," I said with a slight laugh. "Interesting postscript to that story...you remember Mike's friend Eddie?"  
  
"Vaguely."  
  
"Angie's his half sister."  
Luke broke down then, laughing hysterically. "That doesn't surprise me!"  
  
Just then, my dad came through the door. "Hey kids, how was the science fair?"  
  
We were still laughing at that point, almost to the point of tears, although I wasn't sure why. The whole thing about Eddie and Angie being related wasn't THAT funny. But there was just something about being here, and really relating to someone the way I couldn't relate to Mike, Carol, or Ben. For the first time ever, I felt like someone really GOT me. And it was a really nice feeling.  
  
"Kids?" my dad continued. "How was the science fair? Hello?"  
  
"Oh..." I managed to calm myself down. "I won first place again."  
  
"That's great Chrissy!" He looked pleased. "I'm proud of you, again."  
  
"You should have seen the camera she made, Mr. Seaver. It was amazing," Luke said.  
  
"Camera?" Dad asked absentmindedly, as he sorted through the mail, and placed it in piles on the hutch. "What camera?"  
  
Luke's face fell. "Her science project. She made a solar powered video camera. I...I assumed you knew that."  
  
I stood up abruptly. "No. My parents don't pay attention to anything I do." I stormed through the living room and past my open-mouthed father. As I started up the stairs I called to Luke over my shoulder. "Thanks for coming to the fair, Luke! At least SOMEONE did!"  
  
"Chrissy, wait a minute!" My dad said, but I was already upstairs. I slammed my bedroom door behind me and collapsed onto my bed, tears rolling down my face. This is ridiculous, I thought to myself. I don't cry. What is wrong with me? Not five minutes ago I felt so great...better than I'd felt in a long time. What happened? I felt guilty about running out on Luke like that, but what else could I do? I stood up and walked over to my dresser, where Mr. Blowhole still sat, a little worse for the wear, and only having one eye. I know my parents are busy, I told myself. They have important things to do, more important than to come to some stupid science fair.  
  
I grabbed Mr. Blowhole and sat back down on the bed. I sighed. "What am I going to do Mr. Blowhole?" I paused. "I'm talking to a stuffed whale. Wonderful."  
  
There was a knock at my door. I was expecting it to be my dad, until I heard the voice say, "Chris? Can I come in?"  
  
"Mike?" I stood up and opened the door. Sure enough, there stood my oldest brother. I looked at him incredulously. We hadn't lived in this house very long, but in that time I don't think Mike had ever been in my room.  
  
He looked through my doorway. "Hey, nice room."  
  
I continued to stare at him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Oh, well...can I come in first?"  
  
"Yeah." Mike came in and I closed the door behind him, and then sat back down on the bed, looking at him expectantly.   
  
He noticed a poster on my wall. "Hey," he said, "I didn't know you liked Aerosmith."  
  
"There's a lot you don't know about me, " I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Geez, someone's testy. If you must know, I came over to see Luke..."  
  
"Figures," I muttered under my breath.  
  
"What is with you?" Mike asked accusingly. "Dad said you ran up here crying for no reason, and now I come up here to talk to you and you act like a jerk!"  
  
"No reason? Yeah, that's right. It's a wonder that anyone in this family even notices I'm here!" I stood, and now I began to raise my voice. "I guess being ignored is no reason to get upset or cry, right? And I guess sending you up here to talk to me instead of coming up here himself was the best way to go, seeing as you also never seem to notice me either!"  
  
Mike began to raise his voice as well. "Dad couldn't come talk to you because him and Luke had to go to the college! Ben had some kind of accident or something, I don't know, I guess Dad got the phone call right before I got here, and as he was leaving he said I should come check on you but he didn't tell me why."  
  
I stopped short. "Ben? Is he okay?"  
  
"I don't know...I don't think it was serious." Mike was staring at me, a perplexed look on his face. "What do you mean I ignore you?"  
  
Every emotion came crashing together at once, with panic and worry about Ben being the icing on the cake. I picked up Mr. Blowhole and flung him at the mirror on my wall. It came crashing down. Then the waterworks started, full force.  
  
Mike just stood there shocked for a second. "Chris...Chrissy?" I collapsed onto the bed, and he sat next to me, and hugged me, which surprised me. "What is going on with you?"  
  
"Nothing," I sniffed. "It's just growing pains."  
  
"I've seen growing pains," he said, "and this ain't growing pains."  
  
"Look," I said, "can we just go find out what happened to Ben?"  
  
"No, not until you tell me what's wrong with you. I've never seen you like this."  
  
I stood again, the tears subsiding. "That's just it, Mike."  
  
"What's just it?"  
  
"No one ever stops to notice ME. Do you know that Luke is the only so-called family member that has taken any interest in me in a long time? Mom and Dad don't notice a damn thing I do anymore, unless I'm getting in trouble, and even then they just make some offhanded comment about how ironic it is that I'm a cross between Mike and Carol! And you and Carol have absolutely zero interest in my life...it's like you still look at me like I'm four years old, and every time I try to talk to either or you it's some kind of huge annoyance to you! As for Ben, at least he doesn't treat me like a child but half the time we get along worse than you and Carol ever did!"  
  
Mike listened to my little speech, dumbfounded. "Chris, I had no idea you felt that way."  
  
"There's a shocker."  
  
"Ok, you can cut the sarcasm. I'm being serious. You're right. I guess I never really noticed that you had grown up. You not just my baby sister any more. You're an actual person." Mike looked genuinely amazed by his newfound realization.   
  
"Yeah. I AM an actual person." I started to let my guard down slightly, as I saw Mike begin to finally understand.  
  
"Hey Chris?" he asked. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  
  
I smiled. "I'm not sure. I was thinking maybe a reporter, like Mom used to be. But the more I think about it, I'd rather do something with my hands. Maybe I'll be an engineer."  
  
"Really? Because I thought you wanted to be an actress."  
  
"Yeah, I did. When I was nine." I was a millisecond away from rolling my eyes, but decided against it.  
  
"Oh," Mike's face fell. "I used to want to be an actor."  
  
"Yeah, I remember. I was really surprised when you went into teaching instead, before you went into advertising. But I'm glad you did." I smiled.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Mike asked. "Why is that?"  
  
"Because that's when you met Luke, right? When you worked at the school."  
  
"Hey, you're right. You know, I'd actually forgotten how I'd met him." Mike laughed. "You really like him, don't you, Chrissy?"  
  
I had a feeling we were getting into dangerous territory here. "Well...yeah. I guess I do."  
  
"Well, I'm glad. I guess..." Mike looked downward, almost guiltily. "I guess he's like the brother you always wanted."  
  
"No," I laughed, "he's definitely not that."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, Mike, that I'm glad you're my brother." I got up and hugged him tighter than I ever had. "And I love you!"  
  
Mike laughed and hugged me back. "Hey do me a favor though, Chris. Next time something's bothering you, talk to someone about it, instead of taking it out on old Mr. Blowhard."  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, okay Mike."  
  
  
  
  
Mike and I got to the college just in time to find Dad, Ben and Luke in the campus television studio, and Dad was grudgingly making a check out to the studio manager. I walked up to Ben and smacked the side of his head.  
  
"Ow!" he yelled. "What was that for?"  
  
"Because I thought you were hurt, that's why!" I shook my head at him. "How did you come to drop a camera off the top of a ladder, anyway?"  
  
"I was working on a special effect for my project," Bed said. Just then, two coeds with low cut blouses walked by.  
  
Mike nudged Ben and whispered to him, "You were getting cleavage shots, weren't you?"  
  
Ben grinned. "You know it."  
  
Mike slapped the side of Ben's head. "You're such an idiot!"  
  
I laughed.  
  
Dad finished up with the studio manager, and walked over to us, putting his checkbook back into his jacket pocket. "Mike, I want Chrissy and Luke to ride home with you. I want to talk to Ben alone." And with that Dad grabbed Ben by the collar of his jacket, and dragged him out of the studio.  
  
"So..." Mike began, obviously reveling in the fact that HE was not the one in trouble, "anyone up for ice cream?"  



End file.
